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A look at what Chelsea’s starting XI may look like next season - if the transfer rumours prove to be true.
Few things in life are certain. Death and taxes, as the proverb has it, and perhaps at least one person replying “cry more” to all football-related posts on social media, a development which is about as welcome as death and taxes ever were. Oh – and Chelsea spending quite incredible amounts of money on new players every summer. We can add that to the list now.
Enzo Maresca seems to have got Chelsea pointing back in the right direction for the first time since Todd Boehly and Behdad Eghbali took the reins, but it’s pretty clear that despite some record-shattering spending over the past few years, a lot of work still needs to be done – and we can expect the Blues to be extremely busy once more in the coming transfer window.
A goalkeeper, a defender, a striker and four or five new young wingers (if history is any guide) are all on the shopping list – so we’ve pored over the more plausible and persistent transfer rumours to determine what Chelsea’s starting XI could look like come the start of the 2025/26 campaign. It equates to £567m of talent (before we even start to think about the bench) and look a little like this…
Will Chelsea get a new goalkeeper – and will Marc Guéhi head home?
GK: Lucas Chevalier (£33m); LB: Marc Cucurella (£62m); RB: Reece James (academy); CB: Levi Colwill (academy), Marc Guéhi (£70m)
Chelsea will certainly do everything they can to sign a new centre-back at the same time as they try to shift overpriced signings such as Axel Disasi and Benoît Badiashile – but the tricky part about guessing which player they’ll sign is that their supposed shortlist isn’t very short at all.
We’ve seen at least nine different centre-halves linked with a move in the coming months, but the most persistent of the rumours has them plotting a pricey reunion with Crystal Palace and England defender Guéhi, just a few years after selling him for rather less than they’ll have to pay if they want to bring him back to Stamford Bridge. £70m seems like a fair estimate based on the stories we’re seeing – but honestly, Chelsea could sign someone entirely different.
There’s more doubt over whether they will sign a new goalkeeper. Neither Robert Sánchez nor Filip Jörgensen have especially impressed this season and plenty of fans want a new face between the sticks. Lille man Chevalier, among Europe’s finest shot-stoppers this season, has been linked on a few occasions, but don’t be surprised if Chelsea stand pat here to give Jörgensen more time, especially with another young goalkeeper, Mike Penders, already due to arrive from Belgium.
Little movement in midfield this summer
DM: Enzo Fernández (£106m), Moisés Caicedo (£115m); AM: Cole Palmer (£42.5m)
If there’s one part of the team in which Chelsea have three nailed-on, set-in-stone starters, it’s in midfield. Don’t be shocked if some depth is added in the heart of the park, but new signings will have a tough time getting minutes in big matches.
One can argue that Caicedo and Fernández haven’t entirely lived up to their big-money billing but they’re a rock-solid core for the team and the Argentine, in particular, has taken some significant strides forward.
Recent stories suggesting that Atlético Madrid’s Argentine contingent have been tasked with persuading him to move to Spain may have some truth in them, but between his lengthy contract and central importance to the club, there’s next to no chance that he leaves, and nobody’s paying enough for Caicedo to make moving him on a consideration. As for Palmer, comfortably the best signing of the current ownership’s tenure, he’ll be the centrepiece of the attack for years to come despite his recent dodgy form.
A new striker finally signed – but who Chelsea go for?
LW: Nico Williams (£42m); RW: Noni Madueke (£28.5m); CF: Benjamin Šeško (£67m)
The big storyline in the summer transfer market will be Chelsea’s hunt for a new centre-forward – a ton of big teams are searching for a new striker and the same clubs are being linked with the same handful of names, making a prediction challenging.
But the sheer persistence with which Chelsea have been linked with Slovenian striker Šeško makes us think he’s the number one target. He fits the youthful profile of the players Chelsea covet, has a strong all-round game, and is almost certainly going to leave RB Leipzig – albeit with a release clause repeatedly reaching €80m (around £67m).
Elsewhere, with Mykhaylo Mudryk suspended for alleged drug offences, João Félix out on loan and Jadon Sancho unlikely to return, we expect to see yet another big-money winger on the way. Arsenal and Chelsea are both being heavily linked with Athletic Club standout Nico Williams, who has a £42m release clause, and we expect the Blues will stick their oar in on that deal if they can - but don’t forget that both Estevão Willian and Kendry Páez are on their way, too.
Of course, the problem with this projected starting XI is that it’s all rather sensible, something which a great many of Chelsea’s signings over the past few years haven’t been – and much will depend on how many players they can sell to stay inside the Premier League’s profit and sustainability rules. Don’t be shocked if we see Colwill sold, for instance…